Libretto by Modest Mussorgsky, based on Alexander Pushkin’s play of the same
name

Sung in Russian.

Presented with three interval.

Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1 The people have been driven to the area adjacent to the
Novodevichy Monastery to implore Boris Godunov on their knees to accept the
crown. The lashes of the police officers and constables ’encourage’ them "not to
spare their voices". The Duma secretary, Andrei Shchelkalov, appeals to God to
send "consolation to sorrowing Russia". The night is drawing to a close. In the
distance, the singing of blind pilgrims can be heard. These "Godfearing folk"
make their way to the monastery, distributing icons and amulets among the
people. They too add their voice to the pleas that Boris be elected Tsar.

Scene 2 Gathered in the Kremlin before the Assumption Cathedral, the
people offer up praise to Boris. Boris is overcome by a sense of foreboding. But
enough: no one must see the Tsar’s fears - enemies are everywhere. And the Tsar
commands that the people be summoned to a feast - "all, from boyar to blind
beggar". His beloved son stands beside him. Watching the Tsar’s coronation is
the monk and chronicler Pimen.…Shouts of ’glory!’ merge with the ringing of
bells.

Act II

Scene 1 Night. A cell in the Chudov Monastery. Pimen, who has been the
witness of many events, is writing his chronicle. The young monk Grigory has
woken up. The sound of chanting can be heard. Grigory is worried by a dream he
keeps having, "a haunting, cursed dream!". He asks Pimen to interpret it for
him. The young monk’s dream stirs in Pimen memories of years gone by. Grigory
envies Pimen, who had spent most of his life in the world, his exciting youth.
His tales of tsars who had exchanged "the royal sceptre and their robes, and
their splendid crown for the humble cowl of a monk" do nothing to allay the
young novice’s envy. He listens, with bated breath, to the monk’s tale of
Tsarevich Dmitry’s murder. The passing comment that Grigory and the Tsarevich
were of the same age, sows the seeds of an ambitious plan in his mind.

Scene 2 Grigory, who is making for Lithuania, arrives at an inn on the
Lithuanian frontier, together with two tramps, the runaway monks Missail and
Varlaam. Completely engrossed by the thought of becoming Pretender, he does not
keep company with the old monks who have organized a small feast. Both are very
tipsy, Varlaam strikes up a song. Meanwhile, Grigory questions the Hostess about
the road. From his conversation with her he learns that barriers have been put
up: they are searching for someone. But the affable Hostess tells Grigory about
an alternative, roundabout way to the frontier. Suddenly loud knocking is heard.
Talk of the devil - the police officers appear. With an eye to gain - the monks
collect alms - the police officers interrogate Varlaam - who are they and where
are they from? An arrest warrant is produced for the heretic, Grishka Otrepev.
The police officer wants to intimidate Varlaam - perhaps he is the runaway
heretic from Moscow? Grigory offers to read the warrant. When he gets to the
description of the runaway, keeping his calm, he quickly reads out the
characteristics of his fellow traveler. The police officers throw themselves at
Varlaam. Grigory, Varlaam and Missail decide to have a bit of fun at the police
officers’ expense: Varlaam demands that he be allowed to read the warrant.
Reading slowly, stumbling over the words, he calls out the name of Grigory, but
Grigory, who has long been prepared for the worst, quickly makes his getaway.

Act III

The Tsar’s apartments. The Tsarevna Xenia is crying over the
death of her betrothed. Tsarevich Fyodor is learning his geography lesson. The
Nurse sits, sewing. By jokes and humorous stories and simply by a heartfelt
word, she tries to distract Xenia from her grief. Fyodor caps the Nurse’s tale
with one of his own. The Nurse joins in singing the chorus. They clap hands,
acting out the tale. The Tsar comforts Xenia, putting his arm round her and
kissing her, and questions Fyodor about his lessons. The sight of the kingdom of
Muscovy on the map arouses painful associations in Boris. In everything - in the
calamities which have overtaken the state and in his daughter’s unhappiness - he
sees the shadow of the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry. Learning from Shuisky, a
cunning courtier, of the appearance of a Pretender in Lithuania, Boris demands
he confirm the fact of the Tsarevich’s death. Shuisky insidiously describes the
murder in all its gory detail. This is torture to Boris: he drives Prince
Shuisky, his military commander from the room. Boris succumbs to his fear and
spiritual pain.

Act IV

Scene 1 At Sandomir Castle, Marina is sitting at her dressing-table. The
Jesuit Rangoni appears. Invoking the authority of the Church, he instructs
Marina that she must use her feminine charms to entrap the Pretender. Marina
objects, but gives in as she realizes that this is in her own interests.

Scene 2 Preparations for a ball are underway at Sandomir Castle. Watching
the bustle, Grigory is waiting for Marina. Enter Rangoni. By sweet speeches
about Marina’s beauty, the Jesuit gets the Pretender to confess his passionate
love for the proud Polish Princess. Marina’s numerous guests enter the hall. The
ball begins. Not wishing to present Dmitry to the assembled company, Rangoni
makes him leave the hall. Grigory hides amidst the dancing couples. The ball
comes to an end and the guests follow Marina out into the park where they are
regaled with wine.

Fountain scene. Park. A noisy crowd of merry guests strolls through the park.
They are celebrating the imminent victory of the Polish forces over those of
Boris. The Pretender hides behind the trees. Enter Marina. Via endearments,
caprice and mockery she fans the Pretender’s ambition.

Act V

Scene 1 Before the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, the people are
engaged in a lively discussion about the rumors that the Pretender’s army is
approaching Moscow, the church service, the curse that had been put on Grishka
Otrepyev and the fact that ’May his soul rest in heaven’ had been sung for the
Tsarevich. The common folk are convinced that the Pretender is the real
Tsarevich Dmitry and the blasphemy shocks them - how could ’May his soul rest in
heaven’ be sung for a man who is still alive! The Simpleton runs in, followed by
a crowd of booing urchins. Surrounding him, the urchins grab the kopek of which
he had just been boasting. The Simpleton weeps. The boyars emerge from the
Cathedral and distribute alms. Next comes the Tsar. The starving and the paupers
- all the people gathered in the square, on their knees, arms held out to their
king, beg for bread. Catching sight of the sobbing Simpleton, Boris stops and
inquires who has offended him. With naïve impudence, the Simpleton asks the Tsar
to murder the urchins, just as he had murdered the infant Tsarevich. Boris stops
the constable who is about to arrest the Simpleton and requests the latter to
pray for him. But one cannot pray for a Tsar Herod. "The Virgin Mary won’t allow
it".

Scene 2 A sitting of the Boyar Duma. The Pretender’s fate is
being decided. The slow-witted boyars regret that without Shuisky "the opinion
hasn’t come out quite right". Enter Shuisky. The boyars refuse to believe him
when he tells them that Boris is out of his mind, but shouting "Away, away
child!", the disheveled Tsar himself puts in an appearance. Boris addresses the
boyars. Shuisky interrupts him with the suggestion that he listen to a holy man
who wishes to tell him a great secret. Enter Pimen. His tale of the miracle,
linked to the dead Tsarevich’s name, of a blind man regaining his sight, is too
much for Boris who collapses. Feeling that he is about to die, he calls for
Tsarevich Fyodor and gives him his last instructions: he should rule Rus justly,
honor the saints and protect his sister. He invokes Heaven’s blessing for his
children. The death knell is heard. Enter monks with the sackcloth. Boris is
dead.